What’s Cooking?

About a week ago, I was browsing in the local Factory Shop, and I saw a shelf full of slow cookers. The last time I used one was in my student days. In fact I still have the crock from my old slow cooker, but the electric bit (which also doubled as a chip fryer) got thrown out many years ago.

Anyway, among the larger family type cookers was this one, priced at 12.99 then reduced to 8 quid. I couldn’t resist it. It’s a nice little 1.5 litre cooker, perfect for 1 or 2 portions, and has 3 heat setting – “low” (slow cook), “high” (simmer) and “keep warm”.

Spring really isn’t the time for stews and casseroles, and I was going to put it away until the weather got cold again. Then I realised that on Sunday, I was going to be out all day, and would need something in the evening. That morning I assembled a simple stew with some steak and kidney – just flour the meat and place it on a sliced parsnip, onion and some small potatoes, with some stock. Phenomenal! It was absolutely wonderful.

Over the last week, I have played with it further, making a slow-cooked bolognese-style sauce, a sausage casserole, and tonight I ate a stew with some neck of lamb (and some rosemary out of my herb garden). All really good grub, and so easy!

However, this is all pretty heavy fare for Spring, so it will be going away soon. Best bargain I’ve found for a long time, though.

3 Comments

  1. May 2, 2009
    Reply

    We find them useful enough to have two – one that’s probably about the size of the one you show above, and one rather larger one. And they are definitely kitchen gadgets that earn their keep (and storage space).

    • chris
      May 2, 2009
      Reply

      Storage space – there’s the rub. I have a number of useful kitchen gadgets that I like to use – steamer, bread-maker, juicer, electric grill, and now this. I find that I only tend to use them if they are out ready to use. I tidied my bread-maker away a couple of months ago, and haven’t had it out since, but I know that if it was on the top, I’d be making a couple of loaves a week, and not buy any supermarket bread.

      But my little kitchen only has so much top space, which is always the problem. However – I have a long term plan, my kitchen has a little larder cupboard off of it (actually the space beneath the stairs), and I am thinking of putting in a counter top right the way across, and all the way to the back. Add a row of power sockets, and all my electricals can live in there. Push them to the back when not in use, pull them forward when needed. The only problem is working out where else to keep my mop and ironing board.

  2. May 2, 2009
    Reply

    Household Tetris. I’m well familiar with this game. 🙂

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